A frontline service for women affected by sex trafficking, says the supposed link between a knife attack in Dublin on Monday to forced prostitution is no great surprise.

The attack in Dublin’s Beresford Place on Tuesday is believed to have involved crime gangs linked to the city’s organised prostitution trade.

A Romanian man aged in his 30s was stabbed 13 times in a frenzied attack after the car he was driving was rammed at around 5am on Monday morning.

Gardai believe the victim ran from his car and five men chased him on foot.

A man was taken to Mater Hospital (Brian Lawless/PA)

The victim was stabbed 13 times when the gang caught up with him on the city’s north quays.

He is being treated at the Mater Hospital for injuries to his legs, body and hands.

Investigators believe the attackers and victim are known to each other and have links to Romanian organised crime gangs involved in the city’s organised prostitution trade.

Ruhama say they have supported 304 women, transgender people and men during 2017, the majority of which have experienced multiple incidents of physical violence, rape and sexual assault, at the hands of pimps, traffickers, sex buyers and opportunistic criminals.

Sarah Benson, chief executive of Ruhama, said: “News of this level of violence within Ireland’s sex trade comes as no great shock to us.

“This particular incident is a reminder of who really controls prostitution in Ireland and an insight into the violence it thrives on.

“If this is what prostitution ‘organisers’ are prepared to do to each other, then it doesn’t take much imagination to consider how they treat the women they exploit.

“This has to stop.

“Ruhama has long campaigned to see greater measures taken to reduce the harm and exploitation of the commercial sex trade.

“As ever, we urge An Garda Siochana to use all of the legislative and operational tools at their disposal to step up their efforts to clamp down on those who organise prostitution in Ireland, those who profit from it and those who fuel it.”

A Garda spokesman said: “Gardai at Store Street are investigating an incident which occurred at Beresford Place.

“It is understood from initial investigations that a car was rammed by another car, the male driver and male passenger of the rammed car fled on foot and were followed by a number of men from the second car.

“The male passenger, in his 30s, received a number of injuries having been assaulted at Custom House Plaza, Dublin, the driver was ­uninjured.